Lauren James‘ hat-trick helped Chelsea defeat Liverpool 5-1 at Stamford Bridge.
On Saturday, Chelsea crushed Liverpool 5-1, breaking records left, right, and centre at Stamford Bridge. Sophie Ingle made her 184th Women’s Super League appearance, a league record, while Lauren James became the youngest player to contribute four goals in a single game. As Chelsea moved six points clear, James and Ingle combined to score the first of three goals for the former.
Lauren James’ hat-trick helped Chelsea beat Liverpool 5-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, while midfielder Sophie Ingle shattered the Women’s Super League appearance record.
James became the youngest player in WSL history to have four goal involvements in a single game, while Agnes Beever-Jones and Sjoeke Nusken also scored for the Blues, with Ingle recording her first assist of the season in her 184th WSL match.
She put up James for her first goal, which gave Chelsea the lead, before Liverpool swiftly responded with an own goal from Jess Carter.
However, Beever-Jones’ goal 10 minutes later put Chelsea back in charge, and James’ two second-half goals put the game out of reach for Liverpool as she completed her hat-trick.
Nusken added a fifth goal with 12 minutes remaining to complete a dominating victory for Chelsea.
The match was momentous for Ingle and Chelsea, coming a week after the 32-year-old equaled legendary Birmingham City and Tottenham defender Kerys Harrop’s record of 183 appearances in Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Everton.
“It’s a pleasant record to listen to. “I’ve been in this league for a long time, and I guess it shows my age,” Ingle said afterwards.
“It’s an honour to be here, especially at a club like Chelsea.” I’ve been in the league for a long time, and it gets more difficult every year. But it’s a good accomplishment for me.”
Ingle received an OBE in 2023 for her contributions to football and is a four-time WSL champion, having won the title for four successive seasons between 2019 and 2023 during her second stint at Chelsea.
Lauren James’ hat-trick helped Chelsea defeat Liverpool 5-1 at Stamford Bridge.
The Welsh international started her career at Cardiff before joining Chelsea in 2012.
In 2014, she left the London club for Bristol Academy, where she spent three years before returning to West London under Emma Hayes in 2018.
Chelsea’s resounding victory over Liverpool extends their lead over second-placed Arsenal to six points following four consecutive victories.
